Bulb-replacing tool



I. GOSAR.

BULB REPLACING TOOL. vAPPLICATlON FILED AUG.28. 1919.

1,368,717. www Feb. 1591921 2 sHEETs-sHEET 1. E il' .l

BULB REPLACING TOOL. APPLlcATloN FILED AuG,2s. |919.

A2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

an Gust-1r. Tv a Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

FFIC.

IVAN GOSAR, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

BULB-.REPLACIN TOOL.v

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

.ippiicationfaiea August as, 1919. seriai No. 320,429.

To all 'whom t may cof/wem:-

Be it known that I, IVAN GosAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bethlehem, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have Vinvented certain new andY useful Improvements in Bulb-Replacing Tools, of which the following is a specification. l .y

This invention relates to a tool or device particularly designed for 'replacing blown out or worn out electric incandescent bulbs,

in ceiling fixtures, signs or in other places where they are out of the normal reach of the person replacing them,.and an object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature by means of which the worn .out or broken bulb may be easily and quickly removed from the xture .and replaced with a good bulb without necessitating the use of a ladder or the like to permit the person removing and replacing the bulbto reach it.

VAnother object of this invention is Vto provide in a bulb-'replacing tool, a plurality1 of resilient bulb-gripping members or fingers, which are carried by a rotatable sleeve,

Vthe said sleeve being in turn supported upon a suitable standard, or stem, andto provide means for contracting the bulb gripping iingers to cause them-to securely and firmly. Vgrip a bulb, to hold yit when it is .either Y unscrewed from or screwed into its socket,

and further to provide means whereby the bulb gripper may be moved about, upon a as i pivot point as an axis-.through an arc of substantially 1/i5o to permit it torengage bulbs which are supported at various angles.

A further objectvof this invention is to provide means for contracting the bulbgrip structure about a bulb which means in'- cludes a nut adapted to be threaded upon the gripping'ngers or arms to contract them, which nutnormally rotates with the gripping structure, during the screwing of a bulb into orf unscrewing of it from the socket, and to provide means including v grip end ofthe handle orv supporting stem of the tool.

c Other objects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, `forming a part ofthis specification and in which drawing: Y

Figurel is a side elevation partly in section Aof the improved bulb replacing tool illustrating, in dotted lines, different positions of the bulb gripper structure.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the bulb replacing tool taken at right angles to F ig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail section of a part of the tool illustrating the manner of mounting the bulb gripper.

F ig. d is a detail perspective view of a pawl carried .in the tool structure for permitting rotation of the bulb gripper Iupon the supporting stem, and to prevent longitudinal movement of the bulb gripper structure upon a supporting stem. A

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken' on the line' 6-f6 of Fig. 3. Y Referring moreV particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the bulb replacing tool includes Va supporting stemstructure 10, comprising a sleeve 11, which has its upper end secured in any suitable manner as by means of a `flanged collar 12 to the. supporting frame work 13 of the operating gear sets of the tool.

This frame work 18 has a' shaft 14 journaled therein upon which shaft a gear 15 is mounted for rotation upon theshaft. The gear 15 has a stem 16 formed integrally therewith and extending radially from the periphery of the gear,-the teeth 17 of the gear being interrupted by a portion of the periphery ofthe gear to permit the juncture of the stem 16 with the gear.

The normalposition of the stem 16 is vertical and it has a sleeve 18 rotatably mounted thereon. The sleeve 18 is provided with diametrically opposed openings 19 extending therethrough which communicate with an annular channel 2O formed in the stem 16.l Pawls 22 are pivotally carried by the stem 16, and these pawls 22 have forked ends 23 which engage about portions of the steml and are pivoted thereto and also are provided with substantially lfiat vinserting portions 24 which are inserted through the openings 19 and engaging'in theannular lchannel 20 for connecting the sleeve 18 to the stem 16 so as to permit rotary movement of the sleeve relative to the stem, and prevent relative longitudinal movement of the t 24 thereof toward eachother and eonsev quently into the channel to prevent the.

stem and sleeve. A pairgof these pawls-22 are provided, and they are connectedby a contractilespiral spring 257 connected toeX- tensions 26 formed upon the pawl Vstructures 22 for normally urging the portions accidental disconnection of the ends 24'from the openings 19.

The sleeve 18 has a plurality ofresilient ngers-28 formed upon its upper end7 and these iingers'28 are concavo-convexly curved ylongitudinally as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and2 of the drawings,V for itting about electric incandescent lamp bulbs( Laye-rsp.

of feltV or analogous material as indicated at 29 are preferably attached to the inner surfaces of the arms or ngersv28 so as vto frictionally grip an electric bulb,V to permit thebulb to be engaged by the fingers 28 with suiicient'friction or strength to cause the bulb to be rotated synchronou'sly with rotation of the fingers and sleeve 18 aboutthe stem 16 as its support. The resilient fingers or arms 28 are normally relieved "frorntens'i'on so thatthe'y maybe ,easilyslipped over an electriclamp bulb, and' they have portions ofV ktheir -outer surfaces near their lower ends screw threaded as shown at 30, the said threads engaging-withthe internal thread 31 of a nut structure 32; This nut,

32,-has a'pair of diametrically opposed outwardly extending lugs 33 formed upon the periphery thereof. 'W hen it is desired yto i Vmovepthe nut 32 upwardly or downwardly lso alongthe threaded portionV 30 of the fingers 28,it" is necessary to hold thenut'stationary v with'respect to the'Y fingers 28', and for .this purpose, stop arms34 are provided, one'for engagement'witheach of the lugs The arms 34 are connected to a bar 35, which Vrises from the frame 13, and is substantially parallel to theV sleeve 18 fora portion of its length',V the said rod being provided with an angled portion 36 to connect it to a rack bar toV s Y v supported fromthe shaft 14fby 'a suitable these' teeth 44 mesh with agear 45, carriedV Y' 6- 5 Vby theluppsr end of a sleeve 46. The sleeve 37. The rack 'bar 37 extends through a suitable guide 38 which is pivotallymounted upon the shaft 14 and the teeth of theV rack 37 mesh with a pinion 39 which is mounted uponthe shaft 14 and meshes with the pe'- rlpheral teeth 40 of a gear 41. The gear 41 Y issupported by a shaft 42 which is in turn supporting bracket 43.l The" gear 41 is provided with teeth'44 on the face thereof, and

above theiupper end ofthe sleeve 46 having a gear 49' mounted thereon;v which meshes with a gear 50. The 'gear 50 iscarried by a vertical shaft 51, which'is supportedby suitable'jbrackets 52and'ha`s a Vbeveled gear 53 upon its upper end. 'The'b'eveled gear 53V meshes withthe beveled gear 54 rotatably mounted upon the shaft14'which in turn meshes with afbeveledgear or pinion "55 carried by the lower end of a` verticals'haft56.

has algear157 mounted upon itsnp'per end" Vwhich meshes'witha gearl 58; This gear 5.8 l Vis" mounted 'upon the'sleever` 18 beingv lreyed Vthereto for rotating thesleevef Vand conse- QThe shaftz56rises above the frame"13,' and,y

quen-tlytl1efgri} p er head ofthe tool.' "The Y upper endjof-the'shaftf56is supportedbya suitable supporting bracket" 59 'carried v by' the sleeve 18 which also acts aslAV means for limitin'gjthe downward movement of the upon'jthel-lower end oflfthe sleeve 48 below the handfgrip 47 andfabeveled Vgear-61 4.meshes therewith. The"A gear f 61-is carried icoY by shaft or V'ping 62,V which'jhas a 'handit cranlr or handle63 thereon,Y for vvmanually 'Y i rotating the shaft andconsequentlyfthe Vgear 61. Thesh'aft62 is'supportedby a'si'iitable supporting hanger structure 64, which Ais attached to the housingsleejve Y11 in any suitable manner such as by*y acoljlar When the beveledgear --6'1V is rotated means'of the 1hand'cranlr63, thelrotation thereof will be imparted to the sleeve 48 and' from. this sieeve through the gears 48 and y I 56 vto Athe'shaft 51 which in turn transmits Y themotion through the beveled ge`arsf53y54 Y and 55 tothe shaftl56 and fromithis shaft to .the gears 57 and l58 to the gear 18 and consequently tothe gripper head structureYV whichincludes'therresilient'iingers 28; Y

Y These b'eveled'gears 53, f54and 55'; are providedrto permit therotation of the sleeve 18 andAV gripper head1 strurft'ureV Vat various Y angular adjustmentsV ofthe gripper" head as 'drawingszr and this adjustment-ofthegripper head is permittedby'rotation ofthe gear-V15. "This gear 15 meshes with Aa pinion,

c indicated inA dotted `lines inFig; 1 of the 1 66, whichis mounteduponffa-suitablesup#v Y porting shaft 6T. "Theshaft 67'is supported? 1 Y' by the bracket43 and Vbyra second support-V;

ing bracket 68,"V and it carries aY beveled gear '69 thereon-,f whichwmeshes with'f'ag 13e-espia beveled pinioni Y The pinion 70 is carried by theupper end of a stem 71, which extends downwardly through the sleeve 46, and projects below the lower end of the sleeve 48. A hand grip 72 is mounted upon the lower end' of the stem or rod 7l,l for facilitating the manualv rotation thereof to vary the angle of the sleeve 18, stem 16, and of the bulb gripping head or gripper carried by the sleeve 18 in accordance with the angle at which lthe bulb to be replaced is supported. l

In use, the stem 71 is iirstrotated, to position the gripper head at the proper angle to permit its insertion over the bulb to be replaced, after which the tool is moved to slip the arms 28 over the bulbto be removed, and the sleeve 46 is rotated for raising the rod 37 and consequently moving the stop arms 34 into engagement with the lug 33 for arresting or preventing rotation of the nut 32. The crank handle 63 is then rotated and the nut 32 is threaded upwardly upon the threaded portion 30 of the resilient fingers 28 forcing these fingers Yinwardly and causing the grip 29 tol frictionally grip the bulb. The upward movement of the nut 32 is then arrested by rotation of the sleeve 46 in the direction opposite to that in which it was originally rotated for .bringing the rack 37 downwardly lto permit thenut lto rotate with the gripper head or the lingers 28 and sleeve l8and rotation ofY the sleeve 48 is again taken up, for rotating the arms 28 about the stem l6until the bulb is unscrewed fromits socket after which the tool is "lowered and the nut 32Mis moved. downwardly on the threaded portions of the arms to permit the arms to spread, for releasing the bulb by again operating the sleeve 45 to move the arm 34 into engagementwith the lug 33 and rotating the sleeve 18 in a direction oppositely toV that in whichit was'rotated for tightening the nut upon the arm, and after the worn or broken bulb has beenreleased a goodmbulb may b e replaced theren,rand the arms or resilient fingers 2K8 tightened thereon Vandthe toelrased through the. medium of the column including the housing sleeve ll, sleeves 46. 48 and stem 7l, so that the bulb is screwed into the socket by the rotation ofthe sleeve 48 through the medium of the crank handle 63 and the gears 60 and 6l.

Changes in details may be madewithout departing from the spirit of this invention; but'. Y

I claim: Y

l. In a bulb replacing tool, the combination ofa supporting structure. a bulb gripping structure, means for rotating said gripping structure about an axis longitudinally ofthe tool, means for rotatingy said bulb gripping .structure about Y. an 4axis transversely' ofthe lengthof the moito vary the angle at which the gripping structure extends with respect to the supporting structure, a nut engaging said bulb gripping structure, and means whereby said nut is fed upwardly upon said bulb gripping structure to securely grip a bulb.

2. In a bulb replacing tool, the combination with a supporting structure, a gear rotatably carried thereby, a stem carried by said gear and extending radially from the periphery thereof, a sleeve rotatably mounted upon said stem, and a plurality of resilient bulb gripping fingers carried by the outer end of said sleeve.

3. In a bulb replacing tool, the combination. of a supporting structure, a gear rotatably carried thereby, a stem carried by the gear and extending radially from the periphery thereof, a sleeve rotatably mounted upon said stem, a plurality of resilient bulb gripping fingers carried by the outer end of said sleeve, and means for moving said fingers into and out of gripping engagement with a lamp bulb.

4. In-a bulb replacing tool, the combination of a supporting structure, a gear rotatably carried thereby, a stem carried by the gear and extending radially from the periphery thereof, a sleeve rotatably mounted upon said stem, a plurality of resilient Abulb gripping fingers carried by the outer Aend of said sleeve, and means carried by said stem and engaging said sleeve to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the sleeve Vand stem.

5. In a bulb replacing tool, the combination of a supporting structure, a gear rotatably carried thereby, a stem carried by the gear and extending radially from the periphery thereof, a sleeve rotatably mounted upon said stem` a plurality of resilient bulb gripping fingers carried by the outer end of said sleeve, means carried by said stein and encaoing saidsl-eeve to prevent relative,longitudinal movement of the sleeve and stem` and means for moving said fingers into and ont of gripping engagement with the lamppbul 6. In a bulb replacing tool, the combination of a supporting structure, a gear rotatably carried thereby, a stem carried bv said gear and extending radially from the. periphery thereof, a sleeve rotatablv mounted upon said stem.'a plurality of resilient bulb gripping ngers carried bvvthe outer tendo- F said sleeve. said bulbvgripping fingers having screw threads upon a portion of their outer surface, a nut adapted to be threaded upwardly about said fingers to move them into a bulb gripping position or downwardly of the fingers to permit movement of the fingers lout of a bulb gripping position.

7. In a-bulb replacing tool. the combinationof a supporting structure, a gear rotatably carried thereby, a stem carried by said gear and extendinglradially frointhe periphery thereof, a sleeverotatably. lmounted`,upon saidstem, a plurality of resilient bulb gripping fingers carried by the outer endgof said -sleeve,said bulb gripping fingers having screw threads upon a portion of their outer surface, a nut adapted 'to be threaded upwardly about said fingers to move them into a bulb gripping positionV or downwardly of the fingers to permit movement of the fingers out of a bulb gripping position, lugs carried by said nut, and means ada ted for engagement with said luOs to v a: n b

hold the nuts stationar durino` rotation of the gripping means, and means for rotating said gripping fingers about an axis longitudiiiallj,I1 of the tool. Y

i8. In a bulb replacing tool, the combination of` supporting structure, a gear rotatablyV carried thereby, astem cariiedby said gear and extending .radially from the pc- ,riphery thereof, a sleeve rotatably mounted uponsaid stem, a plurality of resilient bulbv gripping fingers carried by the outer vend of i said sleeve, said bulb gripping fingers having screw threadsupon'a portion of theirY outer surface, a nut adapted to' be threaded upwardly about said fingers to move them 'intoa bulb'frri nino` iositiou or'downwardl i D A D i of the fingersfto permi'tniovement of theV fingers out of a bulb gri i nino" aosition luOs Y c, Y u :s Y .a i-i i Y carried by said nut, means adapted kfor en* 1 gagement with said lugs to holdthe nuts sta Y' tionary during rotation of the ,Y gripping means, means for rotating saidl gripping fingers aboutl an axis longitudinally Vof the ing means ,out of enga gementwith vthe* lugs tool, and Ameans for moving said lug engagvto permit rotation of the nut with said 'resil- Vient fingers.

j .()jfii a bulbreplacing tool, the combinaV tion of a lsupporting structure, a 'gear'iotatably carried thereby, astem Carried by the Yj gear uand extending radially from the pe- I of the sleeve, means forrotati'ng. said sleeve fupon `said stein,faiid meanscarriedbythe stem and engaging said sleeve to prevent i'elative longitudinal movement of thesleeve Vandfst'em, said fingers having screw VthreadsV riphery thereof, asleeve rotatablymounted up'on'the stem, a` plurality of resilient bulb gripping fingers carried by the vouter end j upon a portion oftlieir outer. surfaces Vnear "I e l0.y z In av bulb replacing tool, the combina-V the-upper sleevefa'rnut, means for holding Y fsaidlnut stationary'during rotationV Yofthe i saidbulb Vgripping fingers toperniit the nut Vto',Ybethreaded upwardly upon: or vdownjwardly' VVof the threaded portioiisof the iingers to inove'the fingers into or out of bulb grippingposition;V i u tion ofa supporting structure,`agear rota- Y; 7 7 dially'-fromthe periphery thereofga" sleeve tablycarried by the supporting strueture,a

stem carriedby. Ysaid gear` and extending rarotatably' iifi'ouiitjedr upon said. stein, and means for. rotating said sleeve .upon said stem and'aboutan axis longitudinally of the tool, meanslfor'rotating saidgear-to move operatively connected tosaidv sleeve for rotating the sleeve and bulb' gripping ngers upon an axis longitudinally of the supporting structure, said fingers having screw threads Vupon a portion of their outer sur? faces adjacent said steina nut, radial lugs extending from said-nut,v varms for engage- `mentfwith .said lugs to hold the VnutagainstV rotationto permit it tobethreaded upwardly upon or downwardly ofsaid fingers upon ro-V tationof thefingeisfor moving the fingers 1 into or` out ofbulb gripping position, a rack ba'i',meail sV for v moving vsaid raclr longitudiing arms for movingthe arms into andout of engagement with: thejnutcarriedjlug.

12. ln a bulbreplacing toolffthecombinationjof a supporting structure, a sleeve car- V vried by the supportingV structureV androtated 9.5 i nally, said rack connected-to said lug-engag- 1 about an axislongitudinally thereof, a plu- Y rality of resilient bulb gripping fingers car- -riedbv the outer end` of saidsleeve,rme`ans for'frotating thesle'eve, said-fiiigers pro- VYvided with screw threadsiipon aportion of their "outersurfaces,,a nut adapted Vtofbe threadedupoiioron arthreaded portion of Vsaid'lingers for moving the jngers into Vand out of` bulb gripping position. Y

' V13. Vin a bulb ureplacing toolfthe Acombina- Vjtionof a supporting structure, a'sleeve car-f ried'by the supporting structure and rotated .about an a'Xis lonoitudinall thereof lu.

rality of resilient bulb gripping ngers carriedfby'the outer end of said sleeveyineans Youter silifr'faces,Y a nutadapted to be threadedV upon `or on a threaded portion'of said fingers c for movingtli'singers'A into andv out of Lbulb supporting structure, means for vmoving saidV fraclr bar longitudinally,lV stop, arms Vcar- 'priedby saidraok'baiand adapted to engage` V*said nut, to hold the nut/ against Yrotation `duringr rotation'. of saidv resilient fingers Ato ,Y permit 'the threading of the nut-uponor'oif the fingers, saidracl ,barfradaptedjjto be -movved tomove' said nutrengaging'arms for 'yforrotating thefsleeve,said fingerslprovided with screw threadsupon aportion Vof their lgrippingpositioina raclrbar carried bysaid leo,Y

engagement with the nut to permit the nut to rotate with the rotation of the lingers.

14. In a bulb replacing tool, the combination of a supporting structure, a sleeve carried by the supporting structure and rotated y about an axis longitudinally thereof, a plurality of resilient bulb gripping vfingers carried by the outer end of said sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, said lingers provided with screw threads upon a portion of their outer surfaces, a nut adapted to be threaded upon or oli' a threaded portion of said tingers for moving the fingers into and out of bulb gripping position, a rack bar carried by said supporting structure, means for moving said rack bar longitudinally, stop arms carried by said rack bar and adapted to engage said nut to hold the nut against rotation during rotation of said resilient fingers to permit the threading of the nut upon or o the fingers, said rack bar adapted to be moved to move said nut engaging arms for engagement with the nut to permit the nut to rotate with the rotation of the fingers, andV means connected to said sleeve for rotating the sleeve and ngers about an axis transversely of the length of the tool.

IVAN GOSAR. 

